1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to techniques for improving the access time in systems using arrays of interactive elements, and in particular for improving the access time of magnetic bubble domains in a system using a confined array (lattice) of such bubble domains.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The concept of using a lattice of interactive elements in information handling systems was first presented in copending application Ser. No. 395,336, filed Sept. 7, 1973 now abandoned. In that application, an embodiment showed a large array of magnetic bubble domains confined within a rhombus shape. These bubble domains interact with one another and have positions within the rhombus which are substantially determined by those interactions. In that system, access to bubble domains within the lattice array took place by serially removing a column of bubbles from one of the ends of the lattice. Once the first column of bubble domains has been removed, the second column is then serially removed.
In the lattice arrangements described hereinabove, the access time to a random bit of information in the lattice is approximately equal to (1/2) N.sub.B T, where N.sub.B is the total number of bubble domains in the confined rhombus and T is the basic cycle time of the system. The basic cycle time is the time required to move a bubble domain several bubble diameters. For large systems, N.sub.B may be 10.sup.8 and T may be 1 microsecond. In that situation, the access time for a random bit would be 50 seconds.
The access time can be improved by decreasing the block size (lattice size) and increasing the number of blocks per magnetic chip. However, this approach leads to a large number of connections to the magnetic chip.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a technique for extracting information from a lattice of interactive elements with minimum access time.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a technique for accessing interactive elements within a lattice of such elements by means which provide only a minimum number of interconnections.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a technique for readily accessing information from a lattice of interactive elements wherein the information state can be replaced within the lattice.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a system utilizing a lattice of interactive elements including structure for moving elements within the lattice and for removing elements from the lattice in a direction substantially transverse to the direction of movement of elements within the lattice.
It is a further object of this invention to provide techniques for reducing information access time in systems using lattices of magnetic bubble domains.